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turn of one of the angles of the path Lake Inawashiro is seen in a hollow, shining like a mirror in the last rays of the setting sun. But the steepness of the slopes which lead to the foot of the valley soon eclipses this panorama, and after three ri of easy walking we arrive at the village of Nakiji, close to Lake Inawashiro.
Nakiji is about three kilometres from the eastern extremity of Lake Inawashiro. Taking boat on the lake it may be traversed towards the N. E. as far as the point where it flows into the basin of Aidzu, from whence Wakamatsu may be reached on foot. But strong westerly winds are frequent on the lake, and at such times the passage is almost impossible in the wretched boats ordinarily employed. Under these circumstances the route to Aidzu must be regained by crossing from Nakiji to Fukura.
Inawashiro is one of the largest and most picturesque lakes in Japan. It is fed by two streams which flow from the East and North-east and measures about 4 ri in all directions. It is surrounded by mountains of no great elevation, except that of Bardaisan on the North shore, one of the highest in Aidzu. On the same shore there are a few villages where salmon and masu are caught, and a fish, peculiar to certain lakes in Japan, called the akahara (red-belly). A small trade is carried on between Wakamatsu and the different points of the lake. But the total absence of roads in the neighbouring regions renders all commercial movement difficult, and it may be said of this place, as of the whole of the interior of Japan, that the growth of public wealth would derive considerable impulse from the opening of good roads. The main roads (called on’kaido), like that of Aidzu, are the only ones laid out and these are only intermittently repaired. These even are detestably bad in respect of the inequality of the surface and the steepness of the slopes. Their reform is a work of paramount necessity to the Japanese Government and would be productive of the best results.
The shores of Lake Inawashiro may be recommended
